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Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles can be a star - Ipswich boss McCarthy

Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles has the talent to make an impact for the Gunners' first-team, according to Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy.

Maitland-Niles, 17, is on loan at the Championship club this season and picked up an assist for David McGoldrick's winner against Burnley on Tuesday night.

The midfielder, who made three substitute appearances for the Gunners before moving on loan, has been tipped for big things at the Emirates and McCarthy is certain he will be a success.

"Wow. The talent of him; I think he's going to play for Arsenal, there's no doubt in my mind," McCarthy told BBC Radio Suffolk. "We are just so lucky to have him."

The England under-18 international has begun life at Portman Road well and McCarthy is delighted with how well he has fitted in.

"Nobody knew anything about him. I watched him play against Reading for [Arsenal's] under-21s last season and I thought he was great," he added. "I enquired about him in January, but they needed him for their Champions League squad.

"He's such a lovely kid and all, he's fitted in perfectly. What's nice for him is we've got Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock, Adam McDonnell and Teddy Bishop, they're his age and peers.

"I had the conversation with him 'I know you can play, but if you don't run around and don't put a shift in you won't play' but he's a workaholic."

Maitland-Niles faces tough competition for Arsenal when he returns, with Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey all in contention for the wide spots currently. Serge Gnabry is out on loan at West Brom while fellow 17-year-old Jeff Rene-Adelaide has also been labelled "something special" by Arsene Wenger.